Paper vs Spigot vs Bukkit: which server software should you run?
These aren't four rival products — they're one family tree. Each was built on the last. Once you see how they stack up, the choice is easy, and it's almost always the same answer. Here's the family, plus when a proxy enters the picture.
One family tree, not four rivals
Plain Minecraft server software has no plugin support. Everything below exists to add it and then improve on it, each step building on the one before:
- Bukkit came first and defined the plugin API everyone still uses.
- Spigot is built on Bukkit, adding performance and more settings.
- Paper is built on Spigot, adding far more performance and configuration.
- Purpur is built on Paper, adding extra gameplay tweaks.
Because each sits on top of the last, they share the same plugin API. A plugin written for Bukkit generally runs all the way up the chain on Paper and Purpur. That compatibility is the whole reason the family matters.
What each one is
Bukkit
The foundation. You almost never run pure Bukkit today — it's slower and barer than what's built on it — but it's the API that everything speaks, which is why "Bukkit plugin" is still shorthand for "server plugin."
Spigot
For years the default. It took Bukkit and made it faster and more configurable. Still perfectly usable, but Paper has since pulled ahead on the things that matter, so there's rarely a reason to choose Spigot for a new server.
Paper
The modern standard. Paper takes Spigot and pushes performance much further while adding a deep set of configuration options for fixing exploits and tuning behaviour. It runs Bukkit and Spigot plugins, so you keep the entire plugin ecosystem. For most servers, this is the answer.
Purpur
Built on Paper, with a long list of extra gameplay and configuration toggles. If you want granular control over vanilla mechanics, it's worth a look. If you don't need that, Paper is the dependable default.
Which one to run
| You want… | Run |
|---|---|
| A fast, stable server that takes any plugin | Paper |
| Paper plus deep gameplay tweaks | Purpur |
| To match an old guide or legacy setup | Spigot (only if you must) |
| The bare API for reference | Bukkit |
For a new server in 2026, start with Paper. Move to Purpur only if you hit a specific gameplay toggle you want that Paper doesn't expose.
When you need a proxy: BungeeCord and Velocity
Everything above is about running a single server. A proxy is a separate layer that sits in front of several servers and lets players move between them under one address — joining a lobby, then walking into survival or a minigame without disconnecting and reconnecting.
- You don't need a proxy if you run one server. It only adds complexity you won't use.
- You do need one the moment you want multiple servers feeling like a single network.
The two choices are Velocity, the modern, faster option that new networks should default to, and BungeeCord, the older one that still fits existing setups. Running a network well means more than installing the proxy, though — shared player data, synced economy and chat, and routing all have to be set up properly, which is the bulk of server setup work.
Run Paper. It's fast, stable and takes the whole plugin ecosystem. Reach for Purpur only for specific gameplay toggles. Add a Velocity (or BungeeCord) proxy only once you're running multiple servers as one network.
Need a server or network set up, tuned, or rescued from lag? That's what server setup covers — and if you need custom plugins on top, that's plugin development.
Need a server set up properly?
Tell me what you're running and what it's for, and I'll come back with a quote and a plan — usually within the hour.
Commissions start from $75.